Soil working apparatus

Abstract

A soil working apparatus comprises a first structure moveable above a soil surface along a travel direction and a plurality of second structures connected to the first structure in a spaced apart manner along a direction substantially perpendicular to the travel direction. Each second structure pivotally supports at least one knife selectively pivotable about a substantially vertical axis between a plurality of pivoted positions. A locking mechanism locks the knife(s) of each of the second structures in a selected one of the pivoted positions. The selected pivoted position for the knife(s) of each of the support structures is independent of the selected pivoted position for the knife(s) of other support structures.

1 . A soil working apparatus comprising: a first structure movable above a soil surface along a travel direction, a plurality of laterally spaced-apart soil working tools distributed along the first structure, at least some of said soil working tools being angularly adjustable relative to said first structure between a first configuration wherein said soil working tools are substantially parallel to one another and a second configuration wherein a series of V-shaped oriented pairs of soil working tools is formed along said first structure, each V-shaped oriented pair of soil working tools defining an apex pointing in one of said direction of travel and a direction opposite thereto.  
   
   
       2 . The soil working apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein each pair of adjacent soil working tools is angularly adjustable between opposite V-shaped configurations.  
   
   
       3 . The soil working apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the soil working tools are mounted to the first structure via a plurality of second structures distributed along the first structure, each second structure carrying at least one soil working tool.  
   
   
       4 . The soil working apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein irrespectively of a selected angular orientation of said soil working tools, a distance between the at least one soil working tool of one of the second support structures and the at least one soil working tool of an adjacent one of the second support structures is the same along a direction perpendicular to the travel direction.  
   
   
       5 . The soil working apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein each of said second structures is provided with at least two soil working tools, said at least two soil working tools being angularly adjustable relative to one another on said second structure thereof.  
   
   
       6 . The soil working apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein each of said second structures carries at least a pair of soil working tools which are rigidly connected together and offset from one another relative to the direction of travel.  
   
   
       7 . The soil working apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein each of the second structures pivotally supports at least one substantially vertical shaft extending therethrough and supporting at least one of said soil working tools.  
   
   
       8 . The soil working apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein a handle is rigidly connected to the at least one substantially vertical shaft and is integrally pivotable therewith, the handle having a plurality of spaced apart teeth being selectively engageable with corresponding teeth extending from the second structure to lock the at least one shaft and the at least one of said working tool mounted thereto in a selected angular position with respect to the direction of travel.  
   
   
       9 . The soil working apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the at least one soil working tool of each of the second structures forms a first group integrally pivotable about a substantially vertical axis, each of the second structures further supporting a second group of at least one soil working tool integrally pivotable independently from the first group about an additional substantially vertical axis between a plurality of additional angular positions, the apparatus further including a locking mechanism locking the at least one soil working tool of the second group in a selected one of the additional angular positions.  
   
   
       10 . The soil working apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein each of the at least one soil working tool includes a hub which is rotatably connected to a corresponding one of the second structures such that the at least one soil working tool is rotatable about a central axis of the hub.  
   
   
       11 . The soil working apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein each of the second structures has at least one chamber defined therein with an inlet for receiving a liquid and at least one outlet in proximity of the at least one soil working tool, the at least one outlet being in fluid communication with the inlet through the at least one chamber and distributing the liquid on the soil surface in proximity of the at least one soil working tool.  
   
   
       12 . The soil working apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein each of the second structures is pivotally connected to the first structure to be selectively and independently pivotable about a respective substantially horizontal axis to vary a depth of penetration of the at least one soil working tool within the soil surface.  
   
   
       13 . The soil working apparatus according to  claim 12 , further comprising means for forcing a pivoting motion of each of the second structures about the respective substantially horizontal axis in a direction pressing the at least one soil working tool against the soil surface with a given pressure, the given pressure being similar for all of the second structures such that the depth of penetration is substantially the same for the at least one soil working tool of all of the second structures.  
   
   
       14 . The soil working apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein each of the second structures removably supports the at least one soil working tool such that each of the at least one soil working tool is interchangeable with a different soil working tool selected according to a type of work to be done on the soil surface with the tool.  
   
   
       15 . A soil working apparatus comprising: 
 a first structure moveable above a soil surface along a travel direction; and    a plurality of second structures, each second structure supporting at least one soil working tool penetrating the soil surface and adapted to be dragged therein along the travel direction upon movement of the first structure along the travel direction, each of the second structures being pivotally connected to the first structure to be independently pivotable about a respective substantially horizontal axis to vary a depth of penetration of the at least one soil working tool within the soil surface.    
   
   
       16 . The soil working apparatus according to  claim 15 , further comprising means for forcing a pivoting motion of each of the second structures about the respective substantially horizontal axis in a direction pressing the at least one soil working tool against the soil surface with a given pressure, the given pressure being similar for all of the second structures such that the depth of penetration is substantially the same for the at least one soil working tool of all of the second structures.  
   
   
       17 . The soil working apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein the means include a plurality of hydraulic cylinders, one of the hydraulic cylinders being provided between each of the second structures and the first structure such that an increase in hydraulic fluid pressure forces the pivoting motion of the respective second structure in the direction pressing the at least one soil working tool against the soil surface, the hydraulic cylinders being in serial fluid communication with one another such that the hydraulic fluid pressure is the same for all the hydraulic cylinders.  
   
   
       18 . The soil working apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein each of the second structures is also pivotally connected to the first structure to be independently pivotable about a respective substantially vertical axis, the apparatus further comprising removable means for selectively preventing each of the second structures from pivoting about the respective substantially vertical axis.  
   
   
       19 . The soil working apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein the means include a removable articulated rod interconnecting a respective one of the second structures to the first structure, preventing the respective one of the second structures from pivoting about the substantially vertical axis and being articulated to allow the respective one of the second structures to pivot about the substantially horizontal axis.  
   
   
       20 . A combined soil working tool and fluid distributor comprising: 
 a frame moveable above a ground surface along a travel direction; and    a plurality of hollow supports connected to the frame, each of the supports carrying at least one soil working tool extending downwardly therefrom and adapted to penetrate the ground surface to create a trench therein upon movement of the frame along the travel direction, each of the hollow supports defining at least one chamber, an inlet in fluid communication with the at least one chamber, and at least one outlet in proximity of the at least one soil working tool, each of the at least one outlet being in fluid communication with a respective one of the at least one chamber, the inlet receiving a flowable product to be distributed over the ground from a source of flowable product, the at least one chamber circulating the flowable product between the inlet and the at least one outlet, and the at least one outlet distributing the liquid substantially at ground level in proximity to said at least soil working tool, the at least one soil working tool burying at least partially the flowable material beneath the ground surface upon creating the trench.    
   
   
       21 . The combined soil working tool and fluid distributor according to  claim 20 , wherein the inlet is defined in a top portion of the support, the at least one outlet is defined in a bottom portion of the support, and the at least one chamber directs the flowable product between the inlet and the at least one outlet under the action of gravity.  
   
   
       22 . The combined soil working tool and fluid distributor according to  claim 20 , wherein for each of the supports the at least one soil working tool includes first and second spaced apart groups of at least one soil working tool, the at least one outlet includes first and second outlets respectively defined in proximity and upstream of the first and second groups, and the at least one chamber includes first and second chambers in fluid communication with a central chamber which is in turn in fluid flow communication with the inlet, the first and second chamber being respectively in fluid flow communication with the first and second outlets, the flowable product received through the inlet being substantially equally divided between the first and second chambers by weir-like ridges provided at the bottom of the central chamber between the central chamber and the first and second chambers.  
   
   
       23 . The combined soil working tool and fluid distributor according to  claim 20 , wherein a distribution box is provided for equally dividing the flow of flowable product to the hollow supports, the distribution box comprising a central chamber having an inlet, said central chamber being connected in fluid flow communication with at least two secondary chambers, and wherein overflow members extend upwardly from a bottom of said central chamber between said central chamber and said secondary chambers, said secondary chambers being each provided with at least one outlet connected in fluid flow communication with an associated one of said hollow supports.  
   
   
       24 . A method of distributing a liquid on a field, the method including the steps of: 
 dragging a soil working tool penetrating a ground surface of the field along a travel direction to form a trench;    while dragging the soil working tool, distributing the liquid on the ground surface one of directly in front of the soil working tool and substantially over a front portion of the soil working tool, the soil working tool at least partially burying the liquid beneath the ground surface as the trench is formed.    
   
   
       25 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein before distributing the liquid on the ground surface, the liquid is circulated within a support structure supporting the soil working tool.  
   
   
       26 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein before circulating the liquid within the support structure, the liquid is substantially equally divided by a distributor between the support structure and additional similar support structures each supporting at least one additional soil working tool being dragged to form a respective additional trench.